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Otago Belaal
'''Otago Belaal '''is a batarian doctor and explorer employed by the Holun-Myeri Exploratory Fund, and a self-exiled member of the Kur'zen caste of the Batarian Hegemony. Biography Early Life Otago Belaal was the single child of Bira and Ranokha Belaal, two wealthy entrepreneurs from the colony of Erszbat. His mother, Bira, earned her fortune in her own small pharmaceutical company, while his father Ranokha was a successful biomedical engineer. Despite his family’s wealth, he was not a spoiled child; his parents instilled into him a strong work ethic and always encouraged curiosity and creativity. He was home-schooled on his parents’ estate until the age of 14, when he travelled to Khar’shan and pursued his interest in medical science. Education It was the ideal profession for him - Otago was a bright young student who loved to talk, and he could turn even the most morbid of subjects into a delightful conversation topic. He was popular, rich, and well-respected - certainly all the things a young batarian could want for himself. But for Otago, it was never enough. Material possessions and being held in high esteem by his peers were things not particularly exciting to him. Instead, Otago took a liking to small thrills and ‘social experiments’, conjuring up scams to inflict on his fellow students. He tried talking his classmates into doing daring, sometimes ridiculous acts, from committing petty theft to drugging other students - and he often succeeded. He charmed his instructors, gaining their favour and tipping them off about other students, who were subsequently caught and punished. In time, he moved on from vicious pranks to more sinister schemes like blackmail and extortion. By the end of his adolescent education, Otago was among the top of his class, and most of his rivals had either been expelled or driven away as a result of his shenanigans. The young batarian was, however, overconfident in his own abilities. The students he betrayed would not soon forget what he’d done to them, and this would have dire consequences for him later in life. He also developed an overblown sense of superiority - in reality, he was not as clever as he thought he was. Societal Requital Otago returned to Erszbat after he'd completed his studies, eager to gain more experience and begin the long road to becoming a specialist - and he chose a career in the exciting field of emergency trauma, where he met and talked with lots of people, came across all manner of interesting stories, and made use of his talents in healing people; and it was not long before he knew that this was is calling in life. Unfortunately, his penchant for trickery would end up costing him dearly. An ambitious plan to blackmail a hospitalised high-ranking government official - who was well-known in certain circles for cheating on his wife - backfired disastrously, and Otago’s reputation within the Hegemony was left in tatters as a result. His long history of fraud eventually came back to haunt him, and he became known as a scammer and a miscreant. His well-connected parents - who, despite everything, still loved their son dearly - helped him to relocate to the edge of the Terminus Systems. Life Outside the Hegemony He found a high demand for his skills on the garden world of Illium, and was successful in making a lucrative living there while keeping a low profile. Illium was also a fascinating place to indulge in his passion for manipulation, although he kept it to a much smaller scale - something to amuse himself with when he was bored. He spent the next ten years working as a doctor at a prestigious private hospital, where he underwent additional training in xenobiology and learned to treat a wide variety of species - asari, humans, salarians, and even krogan came under his care. It was on Illium where he also learned how to wield a pistol and defend himself; a skill that would save his life on several occasions during his time on the planet. He received further training as a combat medic, occasionally assisting Nos Astra’s armed forces. Despite his occasional run-in with danger, Otago loved his life on Illium, enjoying a fabulous social life and an exciting career. Sadly for him, it would not last. One day he received a message from his father urging him to come back home - his mother had fallen gravely ill, and they both needed his help. Solitary Confinement Otago made a quiet return to Erszbat where he spent the next few years caring for his elderly parents until they passed away. They gave their beloved son everything - their estate, their wealth, and everything they owned was left to him. Much to his frustration, Otago’s antics in Erszbat had not been forgotten, and he found life on his home colony extremely difficult. The name Otago Belaal had become synonymous with crook and charlatan in the upper-castes of batarian society. While he was never officially punished for his crimes - Otago had his parents to thank for that - he was despised, and any hope he had for an illustrious life among his own people was gone. Realising this, he decided to relocate elsewhere in the galaxy and leave Erszbat for good, taking with him as much of his family’s wealth as he legally could. That wealth, along with his impressive credentials as a medical professional, allowed him to travel throughout Systems Alliance and Citadel Council space relatively easily. He eventually settled on the Citadel and found work as an emergency medicine specialist; his patients were delighted by him and he impressed his new associates with his skill and charm. But it was not long until Otago grew restless again, seeking more than mere prestige and popularity - he longed for a new adventure, and little did he know that a mysterious and exciting opportunity would soon come his way…. Personality Otago loves to talk. He is extremely charismatic and has a propensity for curiosity, always asking his patients questions with genuine interest. Although Otago enjoys meeting new people and learning all about them, he is purposefully vague when talking about himself, often to the point of stereotypical batarian secrecy. What little he does share about his life and his abilities is often exaggerated. In spite of his initial warm and friendly personality, Otago is impatient, and his mood can turn very quickly. He has a real cruel streak which comes out in different ways - berating difficult or stupid patients, resorting to cold and callous taunts, and in rare cases using force if he can get away with it. Still, he is quick to forgive, as he considers himself an excellent judge of character and believes he knows when someone is genuinely sorry. He can switch from being genuinely pleasant to extremely menacing in moments, and then return to his usual charming self as if nothing had ever happened. This makes conversation with Otago somewhat unnerving. Otago is also manipulative and selfish, often putting his desires and curiosity before the needs of others. He strongly prefers using his wit and charm to get what he wants, but he will resort to unethical or extreme methods should he deem them necessary. Despite his considerable wealth, he is not an overly materialistic person, and has little interest in spending money on lavish items and luxuries. Otago has always been highly conservative in managing his finances. He tends to favour life's simple pleasures; conversation, home-cooked food, sex, and good books. Physical Appearance Otago is every bit a wealthy, high-caste batarian; his personality, his appearance, and how he carries himself all betray his prestigious lineage. He is tall, handsome, and every movement of his body is elegant and precise. To his fellow batarians, he is extremely expressive and can communicate a great deal about how he is feeling through his body language, but non-batarians may find him eccentric and difficult to read. His skin features attractive shades of green, yellow, teal, and blue, which become lighter around his facial ridges and chest. He also has light striping down his jowls, and darker striping on his scalp and all over his body. Like most batarians he is naturally powerfully built, but a lifetime of pursuing and practicing medicine reflect a lean frame, softened slightly by age. While he is not much of a fighter, he is fit, fast, and capable of defending himself. His sense of style is simple. He favours comfortable yet smart clothing, usually black or dark grey in colour. Otago is somewhat a minimalist; his closet features multiples of the same articles of clothing so he wastes no time or thought in putting together a matching outfit every day. Overall he is neat and well-groomed, but not extravagant in any way. Armament Not one to favor combat, Otago carries with him a Judgement VII pistol and his omni-tool, which comes equipped with the combat abilities Neural Shock, Snap Freeze and Energy Drain. Category:Characters Category:Batarians Category:Explorers Category:Doctors Category:Holun-Myeri Exploratory Fund Category:Kur'zen Caste